Backyard birding has become a time consuming pastime this summer; in part because we haven't traveled very far from our backyard, but also because many avian visitors have come to call. I have accumulated so many bird blips right outside our back door that they are beginning to overwhelm me; it's definitely time to kick …
Backyard Birds: June (Part 1)
When summer rolls around, a familiar bird in our backyard is the Baltimore oriole pictured above. One glance at her beak as she zooms through the backyard is enough to tell you the oriole has recently enjoyed a taste of the grape jelly in the backyard buffet. Hummingbirds, another common bird in Northeast Ohio during …
An abrupt change
The blue jay landed, but didn't hang around for long, just long enough for me to get one good shot. Then he took off, and was replaced by a woodpecker. ...who posed long enough for us to see the red feathered "cap" on top of his head. Apparently he is proud of the bright …
Nothing better than a walk in the woods!
Another overcast day, but even so, a walk in the woods is a good way to while away an hour or two, and a much better use of my time than lounging in an easy chair reading yesterday's news in the Plain Dealer (or today's news for that matter). Even though the dampness may turn …
Correct me…
If I'm wrong, please correct me, but I'm guessing this is a male American Redstart. I found a hot-spot for migratory birds along the trail today, and this colorful bird was among the crowd. A later spring migrant in northeast Ohio, redstarts arrive around mid-May. It is a medium-sized bird with bright orange patches on …
Rainy days
Rain, rain, go away Come again some other day. Little Johnny wants to play. Running through my head repeatedly, that rhyme, remembered from my childhood, couldn't be more true to the way I feel about April...and now May! Little Johnny and Little Sally would like the rain to stop and the temperature to warm up …
Three of a kind
I'm always surprised when the pileated woodpecker appears at the backyard feeder. His visits haven't been very regular since last fall when we had to cut down the tall tree he liked to land on when he flew in. After landing on the tall oak tree, he and his mate would often fly across our …
Chilly morning in Chagrin River Park
Spring is here! The red-winged blackbird has been announcing if for the last few weeks. Still, you couldn't prove it by today's temperature which hovered around 42 degrees when we set out for our morning walk. Nevertheless, cold or not, Mabel was ready for her walk, so there we were, Bob, Mabel, and I trotting …
Another morning trail walk
Today's first discovery showed up before we reached the park when I spotted this bluebird in the backyard. He appears pretty regularly in the morning, right about breakfast time. Often I don't see him again until the next morning, but it is still a treat to get a daily visit. In the park, I was …
Wet and windy!
The windy, wet, 38 degree day is definitely not what drew me outside for a trail walk in Chagrin River Park this morning. No Way! What got me out was what I have written about in previous blog posts: my intention to be more active and my determination to increase my stamina and energy. So …
SEEN ALONG THE TRAIL 